This invention relates in general to a printing apparatus, and, more particularly, to screen printing machines for silk screen printing of various items, such as shirts and other wearing apparel.
It has previously been known to provide silk screening apparatus which has a plurality of printing positions, including plural work supporting stations for being manually rotated into position below corresponding silk screening apparatus of manually operated nature. However, because of the relatively cumbersome, space-consuming configuration of screen printing machinery, the number of printing stations has been severely limited.
Further, prior art apparatus has not been especially well-adapted for remotely controlled, electrically or other power driven implementation. Thus, for example, in Vasilantone U.S. Pat. No. 3,427,964 four silk screening assemblies of manually operated nature are carried by a central support or column about which is manually rotatable a turntable comprising four work supporting platens which can be positioned under a corresponding silk screening assembly for silk screening of a garment panel.
Landesman U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,894,451 and 3,166,011 disclose screen printing machines of single station type with motor-driven rockable stencil and squeegee frames. But these prior art arrangements are not well suited for compact incorporation into multiple work stations in a circular, carousel-type configuration.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved multi-station screen printing machine including a plurality of screen printing units, and where the number of such units, which are grouped in a circular arrangement, is greater than previously proposed, and more closely arranged.
Another object of the present invention is the provision of such a multi-station screen printing machine which is electrically driven, and employs electrically driven screen printing units of improved mechanical character and which are of a compact, space-saving nature, to conserve space.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such units which are highly durable and reliable in operation, having a marked simplicity and paucity of parts which operate to provide superior screen printing, but which are resistant to breakdown; and which may be economically manufactured.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide such a screen printing machine which is configured for being entirely electrically powered for semi-automatic operation from a remote control position by a single operator.
Further, it is an object of the present invention to provide such a screen printing machine which achieves higher speed screen printing, greater productivity and throughput while achieving superior, high-quality screen printing consistently.
Other objects and details of the invention will be in part apparent and in part pointed out by the following description.